Nationals might not retain pitcher Wang Chien-ming

Staff writer, with CNA

The Washington Nationals might not retain the services of -injury-hobbled Taiwanese pitcher Wang Chien-ming any longer, the agency representing Wang said on Thursday.

“It seems hard to believe the Nationals will take Wang back, because they have serious interest in free agent Brandon Webb, another pitcher with a serious shoulder injury who has not pitched in a big league game in almost two years,” Lee Wei--chuan, an agent with Octagon Baseball, which represents Wang, was quoted as saying in a news report on the Nationals official Web site on Thursday.

Whatever decision is finally made, Octagon Baseball will seek a contract for Wang with a Major League Baseball (MLB) club, Lee said.

The deadline for MLB clubs to spell out whether they are continuing player contracts was noon yesterday.

Wang has played only 27 games in the past three seasons because of foot and shoulder injuries, the report said. It quoted a baseball source as saying that Wang will listen to offers from other clubs, but his first choice is to stay with the Nationals.

In a move described as more of a gamble than a purchase by a Washington newspaper, the Nationals signed an incentive-laden one-year deal with the 29-year-old right-hander in February this year, agreeing to pay Wang a guaranteed US$2 million, with up to US$3.2 million in incentives.